Science

Earth Science, Part 1

Module 14 Notes
Big Question
How do mountains form? How are tsunamis created? Earthquakes?
Volcanoes?

Big Idea
The convection currents in the mantle of the Earth circulate
matter in cyclical motions. It is these motions that move the
tectonic plates on the crust towards or away from one another.
As these currents flow, they cause plate movements that lead to
events such as volcanoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis. Any change
to Earth's surface can create feedback loops (chain reactions)
that impact any or all of Earth's other systems.

Learning Objectives
After completing this module, students will be able to:

• Develop a model of the rock cycle to describe the

relationship between energy flow and matter cycling
that create igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic rocks.
• Construct an explanation based on evidence for how
processes have changed Earth’s surface at varying time
and spatial scales. 
• Analyze data to make the claim that one change to Earth’
surface can create feedback loops that cause changes to
other Earth systems.

Module 14: Patterns in Earth’s History & Processes—

Forces of Formation
Lesson #1
Lesson How do rocks get recycled and how do convection
Question currents build up Earth’s surface?

Answer the following questions or fill in the blanks.

What are convection currents?

Heat-driven fluid movement due to temperature differences, essential for many geophysi
cal processes.

What dictates the motion of convection currents?

Convection currents are driven by temperature differences in fluids, causing hotter mater
ial to rise and cooler material to sink.
 Science
Earth Science, Part 1
Module 14 Notes

As the heat from the center of the planet rises outwards,

instead of it rising as one large sheet, how then does it rise?
Explain why.
Convection currents in the mantle drive the movement of heat from the Earth's interior
to the surface in a circular motion.

As this heated material reaches the underside of the

lithosphere, it spreads out causing ___________
melting and
____________.
uplift

As lithospheric plates are dragged along by convection currents,

they bump into each other. What happens if one of the plates is
thinner and denser than the other?
Thinner and denser lithospheric plates will subduct beneath thicker plates, leading to t
he formation of convergent boundaries.

Where do most of the Earth’s earthquakes and volcanic eruptions

take place?
Most of the Earth's earthquakes and volcanic eruptions take place along tectonic plate
boundaries, where the movement of plates lead to geological activity.

What do the boundaries between the plates in this area mean?

Most earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur at the boundaries between tectonic pla
tes, where intese geological activity takes place.These interactions shape the Earth's s
urface and drive geological processes.
 Science
Earth Science, Part 1
Module 14 Notes

Fill in the following diagram below of the rock cycle.

Weathering a
nd erosion

Igneous

Metamorphosis

Crystallization

Metamorphic
Melting

Answer the following questions.

Define tectonic uplift.

Vertical elevation of Earth's crust due to plate movements, creating mountains and other
elevated landforms.

There are two main types of tectonic uplift: mechanical and

isostatic. Provide an explanation for each term.

• Mechanical uplift:
Tectonic forces push rocks upward, causing the Earth's crust to elevate and form
mountain ranges

• Isostatic uplift:
The vertical movement of Earth's crust in response to changes in weight distributio
n, such as rebounding after ice sheet or subsiding due to sediment deposition.

What are fault lines, what purpose do they serve?

Are fractures in the Earth's crust where movement occurs, causing earthquakes. They hel
p scientists understand plate tectonics and predict seismic activity.
 Science
Earth Science, Part 1
Module 14 Notes

Describe the differences between the three types of faults

listed below.

Type of Fault Description

Hanging wall moves down relative to the footwall, caused by tensional forces a
t divergent plate boundaries
Normal faults
Hanging wall moves up relative to the footwall, caus
Reverse faults ed by tensional forces at divergent plate boundaries.
A type of reverse fault with a shallow dip angle, involving significant horizontal
displacement, common in mountain-building regions due to strong compressio
Thrust faults nal forces.

Answer the following questions.

Explain how buoyance works.
Is the upward force that makes objects float in fluids due to pressure differences. If the
buoyant focrce is greater than the object's weight, it floats, if less, it sinks.

What happens to sea levels during periods of thick glaciation?

Causes sea levels to drop due to the accumulation of water in galciers and ice sheets o
n land

Subduction zones are both destructive and constructive

mechanisms and are usually remembered for what?
Are known for earthquakes, volcanoes, and the recycling of Earth's crust.

What do subduction zones create?

Create deep ocean trenches and volcanic arcs.

Are volcanoes considered to be destructive or constructive

forces? Explain why.
Volcanoes form at convergent plate boundaries through subduction, where one plate is f
orced beneath another, leading to magma formation and volcanic eruptions.

Lesson #2
 Science
Earth Science, Part 1
Module 14 Notes

Lesson
What processes break down Earth’s surface?
Question

Answer the following questions.

Provide the two reasons why destructive mechanisms aren’t really

“destructive.”

1. They recycle and renew Earth's crust

2. Create new landforms and geological features.

Define the following words and explain the differences between

the two.

Erosion Explain the main Weathering

differences between the
two
Process of transporting Weathering is the breakdown of roc Process of breaking dow
and removing weathere ks in place, while erosion involves t n rocks and minerals in pl
d material from its origin he transport and removal of weathe ace through physical, che
al location to a different red materil to another location. mical, or biological mean
area by things like water s.
, wind, ice, or gravity.

Answer the following questions.

What is mass wasting and when does it occur?

Mass wasting is the downhill movement of rock and soil due to gravity, triggered by fact
ors like rainfall, earthquakes, or human activities.

Tsunamis are fairly uncommon occurrences, but what are they? How
are they created?
Tsunamis are large ocean waves caused by undersea earthquakes, volcanic eruptions
or underwater landslides, resulting in the displacement of water and the formation of po
werful waves that can impact coastilnes with destructive force.
 Science
Earth Science, Part 1
Module 14 Notes

What types of things happen in the Earth’s geosphere because of

flooding and tsunamis?
Flooding and tsunamis cause erosion, sediment deposition, and reshape landforms in t
he Earth's geosphere.

Lesson #3
Lesson How is volcanic activity related to convection
Question and what happens when Earth's systems interact?

Answer the following questions.

In a few sentences, describe how volcanoes form in terms of

plate convergence.
Volcanoes form at convergent plate boundaries through subduction, where one plate is
forced beneath another, leading to magma formation and volcanic eruptions.

Define each term in the table below.

Term Example
Geologic activity ocurring within tectonic pl
ates away from plate boundaries
Intraplate Activity

Mechanisms where the output of a system

affects its own behavior
Feedback Loops

Output amplifies the initial change, leading

Positive Feedback Loop
Negative Feedback Loop
to further increase in the system's respons
e.
Output counteracts the initial change, leadi
ng to stabilization or balancing effect in the
system.